Letter to the editor: Thanks to dedicated staff at Haverhill

Friday, June 13, 2014 - 8:12 am

The last day of elementary school for my daughter was last week.

Like many moms, I shed a few tears as she said goodbye to this stage in her life. However, unlike many moms, those tears were mostly geared at having to say goodbye to individuals who have been an integral part of her life and her growth for more than her 5th grade year.

My daughter has special needs, and when you have a special needs child, you have interaction with the same teacher year after year, as well as the assistants who work with your child.

You develop a relationship with them. They have spent countless hours investing in your child, pushing them to meet goals and reach new heights.

Often we only hear about special needs teachers or aides when they do something wrong. Today, I want to point out a group that gets it right — the team at Haverhill Elementary School.

Andrea Hill, special needs teacher, went out of her way to make sure our daughter succeeded at school, as well as participated in normal 5th-grade activities such as overnight at camp, participation in choir and the annual musical, investing her own personal time so that our daughter could be “just one of the kids”.

As a mom, her dedication and effort blew me away, and I am grateful.

And I cannot forget to acknowledge Mrs. Chin, Mrs. Hosler, Mrs. Dark, Mrs. Maag and Mrs. Kalakay, who assisted her daily in the classroom and among her peers. Their dedication and enthusiasm for their jobs is appreciated.

The impact these ladies have had on our family has been tremendous and will never be forgotten.